Medellin
has a range of hotels catering towards every budget. The best hotels
(and restaurants - see later for restaurant advice) are in the Poblado
district, a leafy and safe suburb with Medellin's best nightlife and
restaurants nearby. Cheaper hotels can be found in the city centre ("El
Centro"), but it's not a particularly nice area in which to stay.
I
personally see very little point in staying anywhere other than in Poblado,
where there is a range of accommodation from great value backpacker
hostels to more luxury hotels.
Park Diez Hotel:
there are 55 spacious and luxurious rooms in total, and very pleasant
communal areas and restaurants. The next door La Fragata restaurant is
one of the best in Medellin. I used to suggest that this was the best
smaller hotel in Medellin, but there's a lot of competition now (in
Poblado).
Art Hotel
- 54 rooms at this stylish hotel which has a great location just 100
metres from Parque Lleras in Poblado.
Casa
Victoria - a new, mid range, reasonably priced
option (in Poblado).
La Casa
Medellin - a small, expensive boutique hotel
in Poblado, Medellin.
Medellin Royal
- probably the best of the large, modern hotels in Medellin.
Hotel Dann Carlton:
For many years, this was to be Medellin's best large hotel (but it
doesn't really match up to the more recent competition). The top floor
restaurant has a spectacular setting with 360 degree panoramic views
over Medellin assisted by a rotating floorboard. Aside from the
pathetic plastic wine list, it's a very good restaurant.
These
are the pick of the bunch. There's plenty more to choose from though,
including the Four points by Sheraton, Holiday Inn Express, Plaza Rosa
Hotel, Hotel Belfort Dann, Intercontinental, the Hotel El Poblado Plaza
or the Hotel
Lincoln.
Hostels
in Medellin
Choice
of the backpacker or budget traveller will be to stay in a hostel.
Medellin has quite a few, these are the best:
Geo Hostel - this very new hostel
has a super-modern, contemporary design and is a few blocks from Parque
Lleras.
Pit Stop Hostel - Irish owned, and
opened in 2008. Well located, and has a swimming pool too.
Casa Kiwi - Kiwi owned, and a great
location a few blocks from the Zona Rosa in Poblado. Private and dorm
rooms - can get full very quickly.
Tiger Paw Hostel - this American
owned hostel has a great location in the heart of Poblado.
Black Sheep Hostel
- another Kiwi owned hostal, well located but slightly further away
from the nightlife action in the Zona Rosa. Also a very popular choice.
Restaurants
in Medellin
This
restaurant advice dates from 2007/08 when I lived in Medellin - it may
rapidly become out of date as Medellin is changing so fast (lots more
choices now than just a few years ago).
Medellin
has many fine restaurants, most of which are concentrated in the
upmarket Poblado area. Parque Lleras has some of Medellin's best
nightlife - here bars and restaurants surround a small park and the
bars continue along side streets in all directions. The restaurants on
Parque Lleras are ok, but the best ones are found slightly futher away.
All of the following restaurants in Medellin are reasonably priced but
offer excellent food in a relaxing atmosphere in El Poblado district:
Ron
de Vinola - by far the best steaks in Medellin are found at this
excellent restaurant which is at the beginning of the road known as the
Transversal Inferior, just of the major road Las Palmas.
La
Fragata Restaurant - the best seafood in Medellin is found at this
upmarket restaurant that is attached to the Park Diez Hotel on Carrera
36.
La
Bottega del Vino - excellent pizzas, pastas and fine Italian food are
found at this Italian owned restaurant that's on Carrera 36 just down
the road from La Fragata.
Hotel
Dann - the food is good here, but not as great as the other restaurants
mentioned above. Here what is special is the amazing top floor
skyscraper views over the city of Medellin, and the revolving floor
upon which you sit to eat.
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